Thinking about Northeastern University Oakland, a college in California? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.
Northeastern University Oakland is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Oakland, California. It enrolls 464 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
61/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes0
Value78
Affordability31
Selectivity94
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Northeastern University Oakland admits 16.7% of applicants, which makes it genuinely competitive, so your application needs to be strong.
Acceptance Rate
16.7%
Very Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1420 – 1520
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
32 – 33
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Northeastern University Oakland is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
59.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $25,181 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$67,778
Room & Board (on-campus)
$19,580
Room & Board (off-campus)
$19,580
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,800
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$1,800
Total Cost of Attendance
$85,418
Application fee: $75 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$8,161
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,185
$48,001 – $75,000
$26,241
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,898
Over $110,000
$38,398
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,75710%percentile
$14,50025%percentile
$24,250Medianpercentile
$31,00075%percentile
$34,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $23,000
↓ $1,250
No Pell $21,333
↓ $2,917
Dependent students $21,500
↓ $2,750
Independent students $23,791
↓ $459
Female students $21,500
↓ $2,750
Male students $22,323
↓ $1,927
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $13,500, less than completers ($24,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
69% of students who start here finish within six years, and 0% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
69%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
0%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $92,538 a year, well above the national median. Strong earnings, though the field studied drives much of that. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$92,538
Earning > $25K
91%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$68,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$81,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$72,900
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$71,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$75,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,300, about 15% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
9.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 93% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 464 students, an intimate, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
464
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
19%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Asian 39.7%184
White 22.4%104
International 15.1%70
Black 6.9%32
Hispanic 6.5%30
Other 5.4%25
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Northeastern University Oakland. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityOakland, California
Housing
Strongly residential572 beds for 464 students
Adult Learners
2%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Branch campus
Faculty & Resources
There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$116,896
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
62 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
34
55%
$133,212
Associate Professors
17
27%
$104,163
Assistant Professors
4
6%
$97,068
Instructors
6
10%
$76,548
Lecturers
1
2%
$100,008
Pros & Cons of Northeastern University Oakland
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Northeastern University Oakland is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Highly competitive admissions, many strong applicants are rejected
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
First-year retention is below typical
Very high published cost of attendance (full-pay families pay much more than the net-price average)
Best for:
Based on the data, Northeastern University Oakland is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students seeking a highly selective peer group; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Northeastern University Oakland
The questions families ask most about Northeastern University Oakland, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Northeastern University Oakland hard to get into?
Northeastern University Oakland is highly selective. Its acceptance rate is 16.7%, so admitted students generally have strong grades, competitive test scores, and a well-rounded application.
What is the acceptance rate at Northeastern University Oakland?
16.7% of applicants are admitted. Fewer than a third of applicants get in, so treat it as a stretch rather than a safe bet. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Northeastern University Oakland?
Aim for 1520 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1420 and 1520 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Northeastern University Oakland?
Aim for 33 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 32 and 33 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Northeastern University Oakland cost?
Budget around $25,181 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Northeastern University Oakland worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $92,538 a year against a net price of $25,181, about 3.7 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What do Northeastern University Oakland graduates earn?
About $92,538 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Northeastern University Oakland accredited?
Yes. Northeastern University Oakland is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Northeastern University Oakland?
464 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Northeastern University Oakland?
69% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Northeastern University Oakland a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Northeastern University Oakland located?
Northeastern University Oakland is located in Oakland, California.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Northeastern University Oakland?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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